Irish National Army
Encyclopedia
The Irish National Army or National Army (sometimes called the "Free State Army") was the army of the Irish Free State
(initially of the interim Southern Ireland
) from January 1922-1 October 1924. Michael Collins
, its Chief of Staff
from June 1921 until his death in August 1922, was the last Chief of Staff of the IRA that had fought the Irish War of Independence
. This war concluded with the Anglo-Irish Treaty
which led to the foundation of the state.
The National Army made its first public appearance on the 31 January 1922 when they took over Beggars Bush Barracks
from the British. Its first troops were Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Volunteers who supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty
and the "Provisional Government of Ireland
" (Irish
: Rialtas Sealadach na hÉireann). On the 28 June 1922 the National Army commenced an artillery bombardment of the anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army
forces occupying the Four Courts
in Dublin, beginning the Irish Civil War
.
which emerged from a successful guerrilla campaign (Irish War of Independence
) with the British. On 31 January 1922, the first unit of the new Irish National Army, a former IRA unit the Dublin Guard
took over Beggars Bush Barracks
, the first British barracks to be handed to the new State. Michael Collins envisaged the new Army being built around the IRA but over half of this organisation rejected the compromise of the Treaty in favour of upholding the revolutionary Irish Republic of 1919-1921. In February 1922, the new provisional Government of Ireland began to recruit volunteers into the National Army. A force of 4,000 troops was envisaged, but because of the Civil War
, on the 5th July 1922 the Provisional Government authorised an establishment of 35,000 men but by May 1923 it had grown to 53,000 troops. The National Army lacked the expertiise necessary to train a force of that size, so that approx. 20 percent of its officers and 50 percent of its soldiers were Irish ex-servicemen of the British Army. These brought considerable combat experience to it.
in Limerick over who would occupy the military barracks being vacated by departing British troops. The situation was temporarily resolved in April when the two sides agreed to occupy two barracks each. In April 1922, General Adamson, a National Army was shot dead by the IRA in Athlone. In early May 1922 there was an even more serious clash in Kilkenny when the IRA occupied the centre of the town and 200 National Army troops were sent from Dublin to disperse them. 18 people were killed in the fighting in Kilkenny. In a bid to avoid an all-out civil war, both sides agreed to a truce on 3 May 1922.
On 14 April 1922, 200 Anti-Treaty IRA Volunteers led by Rory O'Connor
occupied the Four Courts
and several other buildings in central Dublin, resulting in a tense stand-off. On 27 June 1922, the Four Courts IRA garrison kidnapped JJ "Ginger" O'Connell
a General in the National Army. After giving the Four Courts garrison a final ultimatum to leave the building, the Provisional Government decided to end the stand-off by shelling the Four Courts garrison into surrender. At 4.29am on 28 June 1922 18-pounder guns opened fire on the Four Courts. The Provisional Government
appointed Michael Collins
as Commander-in-Chief of the National Army. This was the point of no return and the Civil War officially began. The IRA in the Four Courts who had only small arms surrendered after two days of shelling and the buildings were stormed by National Army troops. Fighting continued in Dublin until 5 July 1922 as IRA units from the Dublin Brigade led by Oscar Traynor occupied O'Connell Street
provoking a week's more street fighting. This fighting cost both sides 65 killed and 280 wounded.
The British supplied artillery, aircraft, armoured cars, machine guns, small arms and ammunition to the National Army.
Michael Collins, Richard Mulcahy
and Eoin O'Duffy
planned a nationwide National Army offensive sending columns overland to take Limerick and Waterford and seaborne forces to Counties Cork Kerry and Mayo. The only real conventional battle during the offensive was the Battle of Killmallock.
Commander-in-Chief Michael Collins was killed in an ambush by the IRA at Béal na mBláth
in County Cork on the 22 August 1922. General Richard Mulcahy
then took command.
The Dublin Guards troops of the National Army which included a mix of Royal Dublin Fusiliers, acted particularly in County Kerry with considerable brutality, and began the summary execution
of captured IRA Volunteers. The most notorious example of this occurred at Ballyseedy where nine Republican prisoners were tied to a landmine which was then detonated killing eight and only leaving one Stephen Fuller
, who was blown clear by the blast to escape.
Frank Aiken
, IRA Chief of Staff ordered IRA volunteers to dump arms on 24 May 1923 ending the fighting.
.
On the 3rd August 1923 the Irish Free State
passed the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, raising "an armed force to be called Óglaigh na hÉireann
(hereinafter referred to as the Forces) consisting of such number of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men as may from time to time be provided by the Oireachtas." "The Forces shall be established as from a date to be fixed by Proclamation of the Executive Council in the Iris Oifigiúil" The establishment of the Forces was on the 1st October 1924.
This date marks the ending of the initial phase of the Irish National Army and the legal establishment of the Irish Defence Forces
as the Irish Free State
s military force. However, it was not a new force, the legislation was explicit that the Defence Forces would have the same legality, organisation, personnel, orders and regulations as the 1922-24 force.
and Brigades. In January 1923 a new organisation was established. The State was divided into nine Commands.
The Nine Commands were:
The Army Corps were:
and worn with Sam Browne belt
. The ordinary volunteer's uniform was a similar pattern, worn with British 1908 pattern webbing. A greatcoat was issued for bad weather. All ranks wore brown boots and leggings. The Irish Volunteers
cap badge
and buttons were worn in recognition of the National Army's origins.
General Officers' markings were cloth bands on shoulder strap, collar gorget and cap diamonds.
Rank markings were re-arranged on 31 January 1923:
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
(initially of the interim Southern Ireland
Southern Ireland
Southern Ireland was a short-lived autonomous region of the United Kingdom established on 3 May 1921 and dissolved on 6 December 1922.Southern Ireland was established under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 together with its sister region, Northern Ireland...
) from January 1922-1 October 1924. Michael Collins
Michael Collins (Irish leader)
Michael "Mick" Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and Teachta Dála for Cork South in the First Dáil of 1919, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Subsequently, he was both Chairman of the...
, its Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
from June 1921 until his death in August 1922, was the last Chief of Staff of the IRA that had fought the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
. This war concluded with the Anglo-Irish Treaty
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the secessionist Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of...
which led to the foundation of the state.
The National Army made its first public appearance on the 31 January 1922 when they took over Beggars Bush Barracks
Beggars Bush (Dublin)
Beggars Bush is the name of a former barracks on Haddington Road in Dublin, Ireland, as well the surrounding area and a nearby pub.The barracks dates from 1827 and is bordered to the east by Shelbourne Road, which used to be the western bank of the River Dodder.-History:The British Army used the...
from the British. Its first troops were Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
Volunteers who supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the secessionist Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of...
and the "Provisional Government of Ireland
Provisional Government of Southern Ireland
The provisional Government of Southern Ireland was the provisional government for the administration of Southern Ireland between 16 January 1922 and 6 December 1922. The government was effectively a transitional administration for the period between the ratifying of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the...
" (Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
: Rialtas Sealadach na hÉireann). On the 28 June 1922 the National Army commenced an artillery bombardment of the anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)
The original Irish Republican Army fought a guerrilla war against British rule in Ireland in the Irish War of Independence 1919–1921. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921, the IRA in the 26 counties that were to become the Irish Free State split between supporters and...
forces occupying the Four Courts
Four Courts
The Four Courts in Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's main courts building. The Four Courts are the location of the Supreme Court, the High Court and the Dublin Circuit Court. The building until 2010 also formerly was the location for the Central Criminal Court.-Gandon's Building:Work based on...
in Dublin, beginning the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
.
History
The Irish National Army was constituted from the revolutionary Irish Republican Army (IRA)Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
which emerged from a successful guerrilla campaign (Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
) with the British. On 31 January 1922, the first unit of the new Irish National Army, a former IRA unit the Dublin Guard
Dublin Guard
The Dublin Guard was a unit of the Irish Republican Army, in the Irish War of Independence and then of the Irish National Army during the Irish Civil War 1922-23.-Foundation:...
took over Beggars Bush Barracks
Beggars Bush (Dublin)
Beggars Bush is the name of a former barracks on Haddington Road in Dublin, Ireland, as well the surrounding area and a nearby pub.The barracks dates from 1827 and is bordered to the east by Shelbourne Road, which used to be the western bank of the River Dodder.-History:The British Army used the...
, the first British barracks to be handed to the new State. Michael Collins envisaged the new Army being built around the IRA but over half of this organisation rejected the compromise of the Treaty in favour of upholding the revolutionary Irish Republic of 1919-1921. In February 1922, the new provisional Government of Ireland began to recruit volunteers into the National Army. A force of 4,000 troops was envisaged, but because of the Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
, on the 5th July 1922 the Provisional Government authorised an establishment of 35,000 men but by May 1923 it had grown to 53,000 troops. The National Army lacked the expertiise necessary to train a force of that size, so that approx. 20 percent of its officers and 50 percent of its soldiers were Irish ex-servicemen of the British Army. These brought considerable combat experience to it.
The Civil War
In March 1922 there was a major stand-off between up to 700 National Army and anti-treaty IRAIrish Republican Army (1922–1969)
The original Irish Republican Army fought a guerrilla war against British rule in Ireland in the Irish War of Independence 1919–1921. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921, the IRA in the 26 counties that were to become the Irish Free State split between supporters and...
in Limerick over who would occupy the military barracks being vacated by departing British troops. The situation was temporarily resolved in April when the two sides agreed to occupy two barracks each. In April 1922, General Adamson, a National Army was shot dead by the IRA in Athlone. In early May 1922 there was an even more serious clash in Kilkenny when the IRA occupied the centre of the town and 200 National Army troops were sent from Dublin to disperse them. 18 people were killed in the fighting in Kilkenny. In a bid to avoid an all-out civil war, both sides agreed to a truce on 3 May 1922.
On 14 April 1922, 200 Anti-Treaty IRA Volunteers led by Rory O'Connor
Rory O'Connor (Irish republican)
Rory O'Connor was an Irish republican activist. He is best remembered for his role in the Irish Civil War 1922-1923, which led to his execution.-Background:...
occupied the Four Courts
Four Courts
The Four Courts in Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's main courts building. The Four Courts are the location of the Supreme Court, the High Court and the Dublin Circuit Court. The building until 2010 also formerly was the location for the Central Criminal Court.-Gandon's Building:Work based on...
and several other buildings in central Dublin, resulting in a tense stand-off. On 27 June 1922, the Four Courts IRA garrison kidnapped JJ "Ginger" O'Connell
JJ "Ginger" O'Connell
JJ Ginger O'Connell was a Lieutenant General in the Irish Defence Forces.Born in county Mayo and educated at University College Dublin, he spent the years 1912-1914 in the United States Army....
a General in the National Army. After giving the Four Courts garrison a final ultimatum to leave the building, the Provisional Government decided to end the stand-off by shelling the Four Courts garrison into surrender. At 4.29am on 28 June 1922 18-pounder guns opened fire on the Four Courts. The Provisional Government
Provisional Government of Southern Ireland
The provisional Government of Southern Ireland was the provisional government for the administration of Southern Ireland between 16 January 1922 and 6 December 1922. The government was effectively a transitional administration for the period between the ratifying of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the...
appointed Michael Collins
Michael Collins (Irish leader)
Michael "Mick" Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and Teachta Dála for Cork South in the First Dáil of 1919, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Subsequently, he was both Chairman of the...
as Commander-in-Chief of the National Army. This was the point of no return and the Civil War officially began. The IRA in the Four Courts who had only small arms surrendered after two days of shelling and the buildings were stormed by National Army troops. Fighting continued in Dublin until 5 July 1922 as IRA units from the Dublin Brigade led by Oscar Traynor occupied O'Connell Street
O'Connell Street
O'Connell Street is Dublin's main thoroughfare. It measures 49 m in width at its southern end, 46 m at the north, and is 500 m in length...
provoking a week's more street fighting. This fighting cost both sides 65 killed and 280 wounded.
The British supplied artillery, aircraft, armoured cars, machine guns, small arms and ammunition to the National Army.
Michael Collins, Richard Mulcahy
Richard Mulcahy
Richard James Mulcahy was an Irish politician, army general and commander in chief, leader of Fine Gael and Cabinet Minister...
and Eoin O'Duffy
Eoin O'Duffy
Eoin O'Duffy was in succession a Teachta Dála , the Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army , the second Commissioner of the Garda Síochána, leader of the Army Comrades Association and then the first leader of Fine Gael , before leading the Irish Brigade to fight for Francisco Franco during...
planned a nationwide National Army offensive sending columns overland to take Limerick and Waterford and seaborne forces to Counties Cork Kerry and Mayo. The only real conventional battle during the offensive was the Battle of Killmallock.
Commander-in-Chief Michael Collins was killed in an ambush by the IRA at Béal na mBláth
Béal na mBláth
Béal na mBláth, officially Béal Átha na Bláiche , is a small village in County Cork, Ireland. Both Bláth or Bláiche are variations of the word bláthach, meaning literally "flowery" or "floral", or in this case "buttermilk"....
in County Cork on the 22 August 1922. General Richard Mulcahy
Richard Mulcahy
Richard James Mulcahy was an Irish politician, army general and commander in chief, leader of Fine Gael and Cabinet Minister...
then took command.
The Dublin Guards troops of the National Army which included a mix of Royal Dublin Fusiliers, acted particularly in County Kerry with considerable brutality, and began the summary execution
Executions during the Irish Civil War
The executions during the Irish Civil War took place during the guerrilla phase of the Irish Civil War . This phase of the war was bitter, and both sides, the government forces of the Irish Free State and the anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army insurgents, used executions and terror in what...
of captured IRA Volunteers. The most notorious example of this occurred at Ballyseedy where nine Republican prisoners were tied to a landmine which was then detonated killing eight and only leaving one Stephen Fuller
Stephen Fuller
Stephen Fuller was an Irish Fianna Fáil Party politician who served as TD for the Kerry North constituency.Fuller served in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence . He opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1922 and fought in the Anti-Treaty IRA during the Irish Civil War...
, who was blown clear by the blast to escape.
Frank Aiken
Frank Aiken
Frank Aiken was a commander of the Irish Republican Army and later an Irish politician. A founding-member of Fianna Fáil, Aiken was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1923 and at each subsequent election until 1973...
, IRA Chief of Staff ordered IRA volunteers to dump arms on 24 May 1923 ending the fighting.
Establishment of Defence Forces
In the Autumn of 1923 the government started to reduce the size of the National Army to peacetime levels. This entailed a reduction of 30,000 personnel (including 2,200 officers) by March 1924. A small group of officers, led mainly by former members of The Squad attempted to resist the efforts to demobilise. This situation evolved into what became called the Army Mutiny, but was resolved peaceably with recognition of the authority of the OireachtasOireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
.
On the 3rd August 1923 the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
passed the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, raising "an armed force to be called Óglaigh na hÉireann
Óglaigh na hÉireann
Óglaigh na hÉireann , abbreviated ÓnaÉ, is an Irish language idiom that can be translated variously as soldiers of Ireland, warriors of Ireland, volunteers of Ireland or Irish volunteers...
(hereinafter referred to as the Forces) consisting of such number of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men as may from time to time be provided by the Oireachtas." "The Forces shall be established as from a date to be fixed by Proclamation of the Executive Council in the Iris Oifigiúil" The establishment of the Forces was on the 1st October 1924.
This date marks the ending of the initial phase of the Irish National Army and the legal establishment of the Irish Defence Forces
Irish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
as the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
s military force. However, it was not a new force, the legislation was explicit that the Defence Forces would have the same legality, organisation, personnel, orders and regulations as the 1922-24 force.
Organisation
The Irish National Army's initial organisation was based on the IRA DivisionsDivision (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
and Brigades. In January 1923 a new organisation was established. The State was divided into nine Commands.
The Nine Commands were:
- Dublin Command
- Athlone Command
- Donegal Command
- Claremorris Command
- Limerick Command
- Kerry Command
- Waterford Command
- Cork Command
- Curragh Command
The Army Corps were:
- Armoured Car Corps
- Artillery Corps
- Army Corps of Engineers
- Works Corps
- Railway Protection, Repair and Maintenance Corps
- Salvage Corps
- Army Signal Corps
- Army Medical Corps
- Transport Corps
- Corps of Military Police
- Air Service
Uniforms
The Irish National Army Officer's uniform was made of dark green sergeSerge
Serge is a type of twill fabric that has diagonal lines or ridges on both sides, made with a two-up, two-down weave. The worsted variety is used in making military uniforms, suits, great coats and trench coats. Its counterpart, silk serge, is used for linings. French serge is a softer, finer variety...
and worn with Sam Browne belt
Sam Browne belt
The Sam Browne belt is a wide belt, usually leather, which is supported by a strap going diagonally over the right shoulder. It is most often seen as part of a military or police uniform.-Origins:...
. The ordinary volunteer's uniform was a similar pattern, worn with British 1908 pattern webbing. A greatcoat was issued for bad weather. All ranks wore brown boots and leggings. The Irish Volunteers
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
cap badge
Irish Defence Forces cap badge
The Irish Defence Forces Cap Badge is – in distinction to the practice in British, Commonwealth, and many other militaries around the world – common to all services and corps...
and buttons were worn in recognition of the National Army's origins.
Rank Markings
Rank markings were coloured cloth cuff bands and coloured diamond shaped cloth cap badge backing.| Rank | Cuff Bands | Cap Diamonds |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteer | N/A | N/A |
| Corporal | 1 Green | Green |
| Sergeant | 2 Green | Green |
| Sergeant Major | 3 Green | Green |
| 2nd Lieutenant | 1 Blue | Blue |
| Lieutenant | 2 Blue | Blue |
| Captain | 3 Blue | Blue |
| Vice Commandant (Battalion) | 2 Purple | Purple |
| Lieutenant Commandant (Brigade) | 2 Brown | Brown |
| Lieutenant Commandant (Division) | 2 Red | Red |
| Commandant (Battalion) | 3 Purple | Purple |
| Commandant (Brigade) | 3 Brown | Brown |
| Commandant (Division) | 3 Red | Red |
| Briadier | 2 Brown with narrow Gold band between | Brown |
| Colonel Commandant | 2 Red with narrow Gold band between | Red |
General Officers' markings were cloth bands on shoulder strap, collar gorget and cap diamonds.
| Rank | Shoulder Bands | Collar Gorget | Cap Diamonds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Division Commandant General | 1 Gold between 2 Red | Red and Gold | Yellow |
| GHQ Commandant General | 1 Gold | Yellow | Yellow |
| GHQ Major General | 2 Gold one wide, one narrow | Gold and Yellow | Yellow |
| GHQ Lieutenant General | 2 Gold | Gold and Yellow | Yellow |
| GHQ General | 3 Gold | Gold and Yellow | Yellow |
Rank markings were re-arranged on 31 January 1923:
| Rank | Bars | Worn |
|---|---|---|
| Private | N/A | N/A |
| Corporal | 1 Green | Left Arm |
| Sergeant | 2 Green | Left Arm |
| Sergeant Major | 3 Green | Left Arm |
| 2nd Lieutenant | 1 Blue | Shoulder Strap |
| Lieutenant | 2 Blue | Shoulder Strap |
| Captain | 3 Blue | Shoulder Strap |
| Commandant | 2 Red | Shoulder Strap |
| Colonel | 3 Red | Shoulder Strap and Collar |
| Major General | 2 Red with 1 Gold between | Shoulder Strap and Collar |
| Lieutenant General | 2 Gold | Shoulder Strap and Collar |
| General | 3 Gold | Shoulder Strap and Collar |
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
- 13 x Rolls-Royce Armoured CarRolls-Royce Armoured CarThe Rolls-Royce armoured car was a British armoured car developed in 1914 and used in World War I and in the early part of World War II.-Production history:...
- 7 x Peerless Armoured CarPeerless Armoured CarDuring the First World War, sixteen American Peerless trucks were modified by the British to serve as armoured cars. These were relatively primitive designs with open backs armed with a Pom-pom gun and a machine gun, and were delivered to the British army in 1915...
- 64 x Lancia Armoured Car
Aircraft
- 1 x Martinsyde Type A Mk2Martinsyde BuzzardThe Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard was developed as a powerful and fast biplane fighter for the Royal Air Force , but the end of the First World War led to the abandonment of large-scale production. Fewer than 400 were eventually produced, with many exported...
- 6 x Avro 504KAvro 504The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
- 1 x S.E.5aRoyal Aircraft Factory S.E.5The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. Although the first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel and it had a much better overall performance, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S...
- 8 x Bristol F.2BBristol F.2 FighterThe Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...
- 4 x Martinsyde F4Martinsyde BuzzardThe Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard was developed as a powerful and fast biplane fighter for the Royal Air Force , but the end of the First World War led to the abandonment of large-scale production. Fewer than 400 were eventually produced, with many exported...
- 8 x de Havilland DH.9Airco DH.9The Airco DH.9 - also known after 1920 as the de Havilland DH.9 - was a British bomber used in the First World War...
Weapons
- Lee-EnfieldLee-EnfieldThe Lee-Enfield bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle was the main firearm used by the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century...
rifle - Lewis machine gun
- Thompson submachine gunThompson submachine gunThe Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...
- 9 x 18 pounder guns (4 Mk Is and 5 Mk IIs)